Marsh rabbit
Scientific name: Sylvilagus palustris
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
Marsh rabbits are dark brown to reddish-brown with a smaller, less conspicuous white tail than eastern cottontails. They have relatively short ears and a compact build adapted to aquatic environments.
Size and weight
Adults weigh 0.9–1.8 kg; body length 35–45 cm. Males and females are similar in size with minimal dimorphism.
Habitat
Marsh rabbits inhabit freshwater and brackish marshes, swamps, and wet bottomlands with dense vegetation, rushes, and sedges. They prefer areas with standing or slow-moving water and are found from sea level to low elevations.
Distribution
Marsh rabbits are endemic to the southeastern United States, found in coastal marshes and inland swamps from North Carolina south through South Carolina and Florida, and west along the Gulf Coast to Louisiana.
Diet
Marsh rabbits eat aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation including water lilies, arrowhead, cordgrass, cattails, and tender marsh plants; diet shifts seasonally with plant availability.
Behaviour
Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, marsh rabbits are strong swimmers and spend much time in or near water. They are generally solitary and territorial, moving along established trails through marsh vegetation.
Hunting tips
Look for narrow, well-worn trails through dense marsh vegetation and small, dark droppings near feeding areas. Approach quietly during dawn or dusk, moving slowly along waterway edges and through thick cover where rabbits rest. Soft ground and vegetation muffle approach; use the wind to your advantage and pause frequently to spot movement or flushed rabbits.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.